Endurance tested from when your child can sit upright unaided up to 220lbs, this chair will certainly be in the game for a long time. To compliment it’s endurance, the ZAAZ is flexibly designed to grow with your child. A lift behind the footrest adjusts height and air foam cushions support bottoms of all sizes so you can customize the seat to any size, height, or amount of wiggles. A three or five point anti-loop harness with quick release button allows for ultimate safety and peace of mind. It’s no crevice design allows for easy cleaning and all plastic components are removable and dishwasher safe. It’s made of high-quality, BPA-, PVC-, and DEHP-free and weighs in at 22.1lbs.

Having shown on runways from Moscow to Milan, Estonian fashion designer Xenia Joost is known for her high style women’s collections, but this season she tries her hand at kidswear. From our recent chat, it’s clear Joost is having fun in this new market and eager to make her mark in children’s fashion.

Why did you decide to bring your line from adult fashion into children’s fashion?

Fashion is not a job for me, rather a lifestyle—and it’s not only for me, but for my family as well. In 2008, my first daughter Aleksandra was born (she quickly hopped on the fashion train too), and came to work with me, touched the fabrics, cut and crafted. We picked fabrics together and I sewed little dresses for her. My friends saw these designs and wanted the clothes for their children also! A whole collection grew from one dress.

Clockwise from the left: City Select, Vista with Rumble Seat, and The Donkey

This week we welcome three strollers to the Babesta Ring that market themselves on customizability. They’re a little more robust than the lighter-weight models we looked at earlier that pride themselves on similar traits, so we should have a good fight today…

The Bugaboo Donkey is one of our favorites among convertible strollers for kid(s). In just three simple clicks, the Bugaboo Donkey converts from a full-sized mono to a full-sized duo stroller. And back again. In it’s Mono Configuration, the Donkey features an innovative side basket as well as a spacious under-seat basket. Large swivel wheels and the one-piece handlebar guarantee maneuverability in places you’d never imagine you could go. The wheels are air filled, so the need for in wheel suspension is negated. It folds up in one piece and stands on its own so you don’t have to worry about storage. The seats recline with a one-hand mechanism and are reversible to allow your kid to look at you or out at the world.

The Donkey also expands to the Duo/Twin configuration for two kids of mixed or similar ages. In fact, there are 17 different configurations – thanks to its interchangeable seats and bassinets, and flexible luggage options – which don’t compromise on comfort or functionality. Its width – just 6 inches wider than mono-configuration – means you can go in and out of entrances with ease. It’s also car seat compatible with the variety of adapters available for a variety of manufacturers

It’s rare we get to say that a seat is ready to rumble in the Babesta ring and have it be literally true. Called the rumble seat for a reason, this expansion kit allows you to convert the Uppababy Vista into a two-child, in-line stroller with ease. The Rumbleseat attaches and detaches (you need to remove it to fold the Vista) in 10 seconds without tools and the wheels are far from child reach, no fender kit required. It’s also guaranteed not to flip when one child gets out. The removable canopy extends fully to back of primary seat and all fabric components are all machine washable.

The City Select offers parents the unique opportunity to customize their stroller into 16 different combinations to suit their family needs. The multi-position seat reclines for passenger comfort and the multi-position sun canopy features peekaboo windows and adjustable head height. The footwell is also fully customizable for optimal support and comfort for your child. Patented Quick-Fold technology allows you to fold the stroller in one, simple step and the City Select features a secure fold latch for easy transportation or storage. The hand operated parking break makes stopping a breeze and, on the go, the 12″ forever-air rear and 8″ lightweight front wheels with front wheel suspension and sealed ball bearings ensure a smooth ride.

We’ve introduced you to three uber-flexible contenders for the Customizable Primary Stroller Title, now it’s your turn to head to the comments to duke it out. Tell us what you think below!

Elyse Kroll, the interior designer who transformed Babesta Threads last year, offers some tips on designing a standout nursery, toddler or kid’s room.

1. Create a comfy reading nook.

Instill a lifelong love of reading with a special spot devoted to it. Choose a grown-up sized upholstered chair (for reading together) with an easy-care slipcover that can go in the wash. A reading chair should have its own lighting source. Skip the overhead lighting when reading in favor of a nearby standing lamp or table lamp.

2. Involve your child in the design process.

The surefire way to create a room your kid will love is to let him make some of the key choices, particularly with color. Since a favorite color can change from one year to the next, limit these decisions to things that are easy to change as well, like an accent wall or pillowcases.

3. Pick an easy rug to maintain.

Indoor/outdoor area rugs are a great choice for kids’ rooms – they now come in more patterns and colors than ever, and can literally be sprayed clean with water. Or consider a colorful mix of carpet tiles – it’s easier to replace a stained tile or two than an entire rug.

4. Choose furnishings that grow with your child.

Invest in pieces that don’t scream “baby furniture.” While bedding and accessories can be easily changed wiht your child’s evolving tastes, a foundation of white and neutral furniture with clean lines will last through childhood and even the teen years.

5. Mix old & new.

The most interesting, dynamic rooms contain a mix of newer furnishings combined with unexpected vintage pieces. An old chandelier can be painted a fun color and used as the main lighting source of a nursery. Or turn an ornate, antique picture frame into a magnetic chalkboard. The charm is all in the mix.

We’re moving up a weight class on bouncers, and looking at some heavier models designed for at home use. In this round, Bloom returns to the ring with their Coco Lounger to face off against Nuna’s Leaf. Let’s begin, shall we?

THE BLOOM COCO LOUNGER:

Featuring smooth, self rocking motion from your child’s movements or from a little push, this curved single piece frame is fixed in one position but requires no assembly. Optimized for newborn up to 26lbs, it’s MDF-free with baby safe finishes and formaldehyde free adhesives. Available in a variety of frame and seat pad colors, it’s easy to customize to your space and the clean lines and easy styling speak for themselves.

THE NUNA LEAF:

No batteries, no cords, no noise, motion lasts unassisted for up to 2 minutes after first push on the Nuna Leaf designed to mimic the movement of a leaf on a breeze. It’s endurance tested up to a whopping 130lbs, so your kid should stay rocking for many years on the Leaf which itself only weighs 10.5 pounds and features an easy release mechanism to allow the seat to pop out of the base for easy storage or travel. It’s made from baby certified Oeko-Tex fabrics with mesh backing to provide little breezes as the Leaf rocks and an optional organic cotton insert. It’s angled in one, fixed position for play and nap and locks in place easily for feeding.

You decided which of the lightweight bouncers came out on top in the comments in the last round, let’s see who comes out on top in this round! It’s a rumble in the comments section and you’re the ones calling the shots…

We had a great time with all the kids and parents who joined us for a special drawing event at Babesta with Rebeca Raney, the artist whom we’ve been exhibiting on our walls – she’s amazing. At this one on one experience, she took kids through portraiture and the elements that make up a great work. Everyone had their own unique style that made the output so special! Find out about more Xtreme Playdates on Babesta’s Facebook page! Check out Rebeca’s work on Uprise Art (upriseart.com)! photos by Simon Bordwin

We were blown away when we heard we won the gold Stevie Award for Women in Business, for our Babesta Beat magazine and Mimi & the Magic Forest fashionable children’s story and video. Huge high fives to our amazing team: Chandra Sweet, Katrina Tang, Michel Onofrio, Laura Castellano, Taavi Lindma, Aslan Cattaui and all the amazing kids who took part in it! We are so proud!!!

Let Fall and Winter come sooner! We received so many shipments of new clothes ready for our babes to wear them once the cooler weather hits. We received adorable sweaters from La Miniatura, colorful skinny jeans from ESP. NO. 1, adorable domino fashions, and adorable rain boots! New clothes excite me!

We also received new clothes from Little Creative Factory. Upon opening the new goodie box of their clothes, their adorable snoods and jackets just caught my eye! I immediately picked up all their clothes and Ohhhed and Ahhed while wishing I had a baby nephew and niece! This is our first time receiving clothes from Little Creative Factory, and we’re excited to introduce them!

A beginning of a new brand:

Little Creative Factory was founded in Barcelona by two architect mothers, Cristina Fernandez and Esther Villanueva. They both create limited editions of clothing and accessories for children between 3 months and 8 years old. Little Creative Factory combines simplicity with different and fun patterns and fabrics. Their products are mainly created by cotton and linen, so it is super comfortable and stylish. Cristina and Esther created Little Creative Factory to express their creativity while showing that everything should be made with love.

Under Construction…

Little Creative Factory believes that children and adults should always be “under construction”, changing their ways and becoming more creative and positive. Hence, their fall/ winter collection is titled “Playing Under Construction”. According to Pirouette Blog, Little Creative Factory focuses on a slow fashion. Slow Fashion does not only mean clothes and fashion that are not changing quickly. It teaches consumers the process of how clothes are made, shows off a personal style, values quality, and reminding of conscious consumption. It promotes wearing the same fashion in different seasons, unlike the traditional fast fashion, which clothes change very season! Little Creative Factory also aims to stand against child exploitation and bad usages of natural resources.

As of now…

2011 marked their first opening of their store in Barcelona, but now, their line can be seen in many different locations in Europe, Asia, and our very own USA! They have spread pretty much worldwide, and it is so great to see how successful they have become. Check out their line and feel the softness of their products. They do not have an online site to shop, but do check them out on Babesta’s online website!